


A Foreboding Prelude

by amamiya_toki



Series: One Love [4]
Category: IDOLiSH7 (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Gender Changes, Drama & Romance, Dreams, Established Relationship, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-05-19
Updated: 2017-05-19
Packaged: 2018-11-02 05:19:47
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,328
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10937817
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/amamiya_toki/pseuds/amamiya_toki
Summary: One night, Tsunashi Ryuunosuke had a weird dream: not only was he wedded to his first and only lover Ousaka Sougo and lived with her under the same roof, they also had a child. He could not help but to be bothered by it and eventually decides to talk to Sougo about it.





	A Foreboding Prelude

**Author's Note:**

> This should have been posted later in the series for it to make more sense but then again I'm not writing and posting in chronological order. The important stuff is yet to come, I suppose. There's another instalment planned this month, and after that, I'm itching to write something dark.
> 
> For the record, this takes place around 2 years and 4 months after Ryuu and Sougo started dating.
> 
> Note that from this story onwards, original characters will start appearing. I'll create some simple profiles for them later on since I'm posting this pre-lunch break at work.

Tsunashi Ryuunosuke was not a morning person. Neither were the other two members of Trigger, for that matter.

Waking up and getting out of bed every morning was a trial. Everytime his alarm clock rings, he had to suppress the temptation to destroy the digital clock (or his smartphone, if he was out overnight for work) on his bedside table. Once the obscene sound was switched off, he would roll over in bed with a loud sigh and his eyes still closed. However, he was an adult, and as much as he wanted to fall back asleep he chose not to as he knew that he would be late for work if he did.

This morning was different. It was his first day off in a very long while. The past few days, he had to leave home early and could only return past midnight. The exhaustion was building up, and the best way he knew how to get rid of it was to sleep until he felt that he should get up.

It worked for him, seeing how he had nothing planned for the day.

Letting out a loud yawn, he closed his eyes again as he allowed his body to sink into the comfort of the mattress.

 _"Ryuu-san."_ He was just about to let his consciousness fade once more when he was woken up by a soft voice. _"Ryuu-san, it's time to get up. How long are you going to stay in bed?"_

He knew this voice. It never failed to make him feel calm and completely at ease.

Opening his eyes, the first thing that came into his sight after he had adjusted to the glaring light of the morning sun. For a moment, he saw her presence itself was like the sun; bright and beautiful.

_"Ryuu-san, you're awake, aren't you? Stop being a tease and get up. After all, you made a promise to him, didn't you?"_

A promise?

What promise, and to who?

 _"Wakey wakey!"_ A high-pitched voice chirped as a weight was dropped on him.

No, it was as if someone small... a child, had leapt onto him. It did not hurt, but the force was more than enough to shock him awake. He sat up with a start, disorientated as to what was going on around him.

_"Dad! Wakey wakey time! We goin' on a picnic today! Dad n' me n' Mom! Dad promised!"_

The child that was now sitting on his lap looked at him with eager eyes; his beautiful irises were a too-familiar shade of purple which reminded him of amethysts. It seemed that he had just woken up not too long ago seeing how he was still in his pyjamas, with a head of messy brown hair which resembled Ryuu's own.

What was going on?

This question pulsed in his head, but it seemed that he knew what was happening.

This child is his son.

His own child related by blood.

And the one who bore him in her womb for nine long months, who was once his beloved lover, is the woman who he had wed as his wife.

She was the most beautiful woman in the world, not just in body but in soul as well.

_"Ryuu-san, is something the matter? Are you feeling unwell?"_

She was someone who loved him dearly, and he loved her just as much.

And the name of that precious person is one that he had engraved in his heart so that he would never forget.

_"Sou..."_

**_"Beep boop beep!"_ **

At that moment, his alarm clock rang and Ryuu woke up with a start.

It was a dream... and a very realistic one. For a moment he believed that he and Ousaka Sougo... his dearly beloved, were actually married and had started a family. This was something that, although not impossible, was difficult.

He turned off the alarm, but for once he did not feel compelled to lie down a second time. That dream was still fresh in his head, and he could not get it out of his thoughts.

Idols exist for the sake of their fans. Because of this, they only belong to them and not simply one person. That was the reality of the entertainment world which made falling in love a taboo, an unspoken rule that should not be violated if they wanted to remain in this industry. Ryuu and Sougo knew of this when they began dating, and have successfully kept their relationship under wraps for the past three years or so.

Sure, there was one incident which nearly caused a scandal, but it was revealed to be a fraud as the reporter misreported. That day they were with their managers and respective group's leaders, but he had chosen to ignore that fact in order to create a scoop.

That matter aside, he was due for a date with Sougo that night. While he had the day off, she was at the filming for a drama she was starring in with his group-mate, Kujou Tenn. That was scheduled from the morning until the early evening as it was the last session to wrap up the recording for the series. As usual, they had arranged to meet for dinner after that.

With nothing to do before his date, Ryuu slowly went about his day, completing the housework that had piled up while he was occupied with work.

He remembered that Sougo once mentioned that she spends her time off doing the most of the housework in the dorm, even though the chores were split amongst everyone. At that time he had mentioned how she would be a good wife if she got married and that her husband would be a lucky man, but that was before they had started dating. Now that they were, thinking about that line that he had carelessly spouted made him feel embarrassed.

She would make a good wife indeed, but the thought if having her as his was nothing but pompous.

Sougo is one of the members of Japan's most popular all-female idol group, Idolish7 which had made their debut almost four years ago. Not only was she dubbed a peerless beauty who possessed a curvy and voluptuous figure, she also had a lovely singing voice that mesmerised those who heard it. She was also ranked second for three consecutive years in a poll where fans nominated which celebrity they had wanted to take as their bride. Last but not least, she also had a secret which is unknown to many: she is the only child of Ousaka Soushi, head of the prestigious Five Star Company. She was quite literally a rich young miss, a well-bred lady which would normally have been out of his league. He was, after all, just the son of a poor fisherman. Even if his mother had remarried and became the wife of the owner of a hotel chain, it does not change the fact that he is a commoner by birth.

He was often worried about how he was not suitable for her. Surely she deserved someone better than him. With her birthright and status, she could have any other man she wanted. She had been confessed to by many others and even had a fiance. So, why did she choose a plain dud like him? If someone better comes and snatches her away, what would he do?

Ryuu knew that his worries were baseless and for nought, as her feelings for him for genuine. Despite that, he could not shake them off.

If he could truly make her his… in a more tangible manner, perhaps, he would not be this troubled. That could have been the reason why he felt compelled to buy a pair of rings as a symbol of their bond. However, he had no intention to tie her down with marriage. It may have been his own conclusion but when he had learnt that the reason why she finally had rebelled against her father had something to do with her former fiance, he decided to not to breathe a word about it until she decides to speak of it.

Instead, he convinced himself that marriage was a topic that could be put off until later in order for the both of them to prioritise their careers. That dream, however, made him wonder if that statement was a proper reason or simply a mere excuse.

"Ryuunosuke-san, is something the matter?" Was what she asked him as they sat down at their usual table at their favourite trattoria. "You seem rather worn today."

"Ah, it's nothing."

"Really?" She gave him a worried glance. "Are you sure?"

"I'm fine, you don't have to worry so much." He reached out to hold her hand that was placed on the table.

However, to his shock, she withdrew it before he could even touch her. It was after what felt like a long, awkward moment until Sougo explained the reason behind her actions.

"I'm feeling a bit under the weather for the past few days. Mitsuki-san said that it may be the flu. It would be troublesome if you caught it from me."

"You silly girl." Despite what she said, he still reached over to take her hand gently. "You should have said something if you weren't feeling well; we could always meet another time."

"That was what Iori-san said as well, but I was thinking that neither of us won't have much free time after today."

"That is true..."

"Ryuunosuke-san would be preparing for Trigger's first overseas tour."

"And you have practice and rehearsals for Idolish7's special anniversary concert, right? The one that would be held at the Budoukan. That's an amazing feat, isn't it?"

"It is. Our president and Banri-san are going all out to make this a success."

"I heard Momo-san and Yuki-san would be part of the live?"

"It's still a secret, but they were invited as special guests. Well, that is the formal arrangement but in actuality, it was closer to them just jumping in and insisting that they'd make a special appearance. Banri-san was against it, but they had their agency's permission. Our president was elated and immediately agreed."

"That's nice... I wish we could do that as well. Our president will never agree to that sort of arrangement."

"Sorry to interrupt your conversation, dearies, but have you decided on your order?"

"Ah! We're sorry, Nicole-san!"

The Italian woman simply gave them a huge smile. "I know it has been ages since the both of you met up, but it has been a long day. How about putting something into those empty bellies first?"

"Sougo-chan, what would you like to have?" Nicole's second son, Kousaka Yukihiko, who had been cooking behind the counter, came by to give his greetings to the young woman. "Something spicy as usual?"

"Yuki, did you leave your older brother alone in the kitchen?"

"He said I could take a break since most of the customers for today have already left. So, what do you say, Sougo-chan? How about a taste of my new arrabbiata?"

"Oh, no. Not today. I haven't been feeling well out of late, so I shall pass on spicy dishes for today."

"Now that you mention it, you do look rather pale today. Is it a summer cold?"

Ryuu shot him a glare, which the cook casually ignored.

Unlike his stern-looking father, the owner of the trattoria, Yukihiko was a frivolous man who would not hesitate to flirt with any woman within his sight. Even though Sougo had made it clear that she had no interest in no one but Ryuu, he still continued to make casual passes on her whenever they came by for their date. Fortunately, he knew that the other man was simply teasing her to make him annoyed.

Today, however, Ryuu grew irritated for a completely different reason. He only noticed her pallor when the man mentioned it. Having not realised something that important sooner, he had failed as her lover.

"No, I don't think so. It's just that I can't seem to get much of an appetite out of late. Could you recommend me something easy on the stomach?"

"Hmm... how about soup pasta with fresh vegetables?"

"I'll have that."

"Sougo-san, as expected, maybe I should send you home."

"I'm fine, Ryuunosuke-san, really. It might be because I've been busy lately that I haven't been eating and resting well. Don't be so worried, please."

She was begging him, looking as if she was about to cry. There was no way that he can go against her wishes when she looked this hurt because of him, as his heart was gripped with guilt.

He took in a deep breath to calm down. He was aware that he was unusually bad-tempered today, perhaps of that dream that he had, that brought an ominous sense of foreboding. However, even if he had been unaware, it was wrong of him to hurt her.

"I'm sorry."

That was all he could say.

She nodded in acknowledgement, but still looked down rather than at him.

Fortunately, there was Nicole and her son to break the tension between them.

"Now now, there's no need to create a fuss over something like that." In spite of the awkwardness, Yukihiro was as easygoing as he always was. "Tsunashi-san, I know you're being a grump because you're hungry, so about ordering something to fix that?"

"Yuki is right! Ah, if you don't know what to order, perhaps I could recommend today's special? It's a special risotto with roast duck breast."

"I'll have that."

"We'll be back with your orders soon! Come, Yuki, back into the kitchen you go."

"But mom, I wanted a longer break."

"No buts!"

After the mother-and-child pair left them alone, they barely spoke a word to each other. Rather, they did not know what to say.

"I'm sorry." In the end, Sougo was the one to speak as she had felt guilty about ruining the mood.

"Why are you apologising too, you silly girl? You didn't do anything wrong." He placed his hand on her head, patting it gently. "You don't have to look so scared; I'm not angry."

"I know you're not."

"I'm the one in the wrong. Yukihiko-kun was right about me being a grouch today."

"Did something happen?"

Ryuu paused to think. Should he tell her about that dream? It may better to tell her since she was involved, but he was afraid of what would she think of it.

"A dream…"

"Dream? What about it?"

"I had a strange dream last night… and I don't know why, but it has been bothering me." He paused to ask if he could continue talking, to which she nodded once. "In that dream, we were… well, married."

"Oh." She could not help but utter a word of surprise but did not say anything else.

"I mean, it's not like I dreamt of us getting married, in at a shrine or chapel or anything like that… it's just that in that dream, I was waking up in the morning and you were there with me. I mean! Not like right next to me, more like, we were living together and you were waking me up."

It was awkward for him to explain his dream, but it seemed that Sougo understood what he was trying to say. She listened attentively to what he had to say without interrupting or questioning him, wearing a calm and understanding expression on her face.

"So what was it about that dream that bothered you?"

"Well… I'm not so sure about it myself. What I do know is that I can't get it out of my mind."

"Was there anything unusual in that dream? Other than us being married, of course."

"We… in that dream, we have a son. A boy of about two years old, who looks like me but has your purple eyes… Sougo-san?" Was it his imagination, or did her face seem to be paler than it had been earlier? "I'm sorry! Did hearing about that make you feel uncomfortable?"

"No, I'm… I'm fine. I'm just a little surprised."

"Surprised?"

"I always thought a daughter would suit Ryuunosuke-san better." She let out a small chuckle, and it was the first time he saw her smile this evening.

"I see… either is fine if you ask me?"

"Eh?"

"I-I mean!" Ryuunosuke had spoken without thinking and had not realised that his words were misleading until he saw her shocked expression. "I like children so it doesn't matter to me if it's a boy or a girl! But we're idols, so all this talk about having children is weird, don't you think?"

"You're right." There was a bit of a pause before Sougo continued. "If… Just if, we had a child together, would that make you happy?"

Why would it not? It would make me the happiest man in the world."

"Even if it means that you would have to give up being an idol?"

For a moment, Ryuunosuke considered that question as one of the silly things she says when she worries too much over something. However, the tone of her voice was too serious for it to be a mere worry. Because of this, he was unable to think of a reply to that question.

"I'm sorry… I was overthinking things again. Goodness, I'm such a worrywart…"

"No, it's all right. Rather, I was the one who made you worry, didn't I?" He could only offer a smile and a warm hand to touch her cheek to comfort her. "You don't have to think so much about things on your own. You got me, don't you?"

She nodded and nuzzled her cheek into his warm palm. Her eyes may be glossed over as if she was about to cry, but her expression showed that she was feeling assured. "Thank you, Ryuunosuke-san. I—"

"Dinner is served!"

Instinctively, Ryuunosuke withdrew his hand so that the woman could place their dishes on the table.

They began to partake in their meal, and as they did began to converse about work and their daily events. Soon, it felt as if the heavy atmosphere that had surrounded them just a little while earlier was something that did not happen.

After the meal, he had insisted on sending her home by car, an offer which she finally accepted after rejecting numerous times.

He drove slowly, hoping to be able to let her have some rest. However, he decided to enjoy the quiet time they were spending together instead of initiating another conversation. It does hurt him every time he glanced over, only to see her sullen expression, but it would have hurt him more if she had forced a smile when she was not feeling well.

Despite that, there was an uncomfortable feeling welling up in his chest that he could not explain or describe. He pondered about that for three moments before deciding that it was simply his imagination.

"Sougo-san, we have arrived." While her eyes were closed, he knew that she was awake when he patted her lightly on the shoulder. "Shall I walk you up?"

"No, here is fine." She quickly checked to make sure she had everything before opening the door. "Thank you, Ryuunosuke-san. Good night."

"Same to you. Rest well." He was about to give her a small kiss on the cheek but stopped when he reminded himself that he should not. Instead, he patted her head gently. "I love you."

"I love you too, Ryuunosuke-san. Always."

The car door was shut after that, and she waved him one last goodbye before disappearing into the lobby of the building.

For some reason, looking at her retreating back, the bad feeling in him started to intensify. He could not help but feel that this would be the last time he would ever get to be physically close to her.

He could only hope that it would never come true.

**\- END -**


End file.
